Opening Doors
by Sporadic-Tiger
Summary: Elsa is still afraid hurting those around her.


A young strawberry-blonde stands outside the doorway of her older sister's room, her fist poised to knock. She huffs a sigh as she recalls all the times over prior years where she had done just that and not gotten a response. Then she remembered how she would keep talking anyway, and her resolve returned.  
><em>We need to make this right….<em> Anna feels the freezing draft coming from under the door_, I have to be there for her. I just hope she'll continue to let me._  
>She knocks. There is hesitation.<br>"E-Elsa? Sister?" Anna calls though the door, "Are you in there?"  
>"Yes…" comes the soft reply, "yes, come in." Anna opens the door in response and steps into her sister's room. The room is like a winter wonderland when she walks in, cold and beautiful, and Anna has, since being let in to her sister's room now and then, been fascinated by how surprisingly good snow looks on furniture. Elsa is sitting on the bed, facing the opposite wall.<br>"Elsa, we need to talk." Anna says gently.  
>"Do we?" Elsa replies, just as gently, her body not moving an inch.<br>"You know it as well as I do." Anna answers, making her way around the bed to Elsa, "I know you feel guilty about what happened," she reaches Elsa, and kneels in front her, right in front of her face, "but look! I'm here, and the sun is out! Everything's okay!" Elsa's expression makes Anna's heart break. Elsa holds a weak smile, but Anna can see the true vacancy in her eyes, the absence from the moment. "You're getting better about being around people, Elsa, and that's good! But… something is still bothering you. I can tell." Elsa looks at Anna, her gaze returning a little, and Anna's heart leaps.  
><em>There you are… come back to me, Elsa.<em>  
>"Oh, Anna… I… I almost killed you…. I… I wonder sometimes if this is a good idea: me reconnecting with everyone. What if something else happens? I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you… much less if it were because of me." Elsa's tone is still soft, like she just lacks the energy to push the words out.<br>"You have control now though, you know how to reverse the effects of your magic." Anna points out. "And besides, it was only the one time." she adds with a small smile.  
>"…. Twice." Elsa corrects her sister.<br>"…. Twice?" Anna asks, confused. Elsa nods grimly.  
>"When you were eight. I was eleven. I froze… something in your face. That's why you had the…." Elsa traces the side of her own head where Anna used to have a strand of pale hair that extended through her right braid. It disappeared since the frozen heart incident, but Anna knows what she means.<br>"That… was you?" Anna questions, a little disbelieving.  
>"The trolls saved you, but took your memory of my powers." Elsa finishes with, "It was an accident. Both times. I'm scared, Anna. Scared that even though I can unfreeze everything else, what if I can't unfreeze you if another accident happens?" Anna looks at her sister, her brow furrowing in a cross of thought, worry, and sad understanding of what her sister is saying. Her face then becomes determined. She takes the queen's wrists in her hands. Elsa blinks and her head backs up just a centimeter or two as her distant gaze snaps fully to Anna, for the first time since they have both been in the room.<br>"Anna? What-?"  
>"Elsa… I love you." Anna says, holding Elsa's wrists up firmly. Elsa is wearing a long sleeved dress, as usual, so there is no skin contact just yet, but her heart leaps in her chest at hearing Anna's words. She has noted Anna's tendency to say that phrase to her a little too tenderheartedly, too much so for family members, but Elsa can't help herself, she knows the forbidden feeling she harbors in herself.<br>One curse to another, it seems.  
>"It's love right? It helps? Well… I love you, Elsa, I really do." The snow in the room begins todrip a little as Elsa's heart races more, and she blushes lightly. Anna slowly moves Elsa's hands to her own freckled cheeks.<br>"A-Anna, don't…." Elsa softly pleads, but it's too little too late as Anna places the frost covered fingertips all across her face. She winces at the cold a little, but lets it pass.  
>"See? It's not so bad." Anna remarks, smirking lightly.<br>"Anna…." Elsa tries to repeat herself.  
>"Hmmmm…. Maybe it's just not enough." Anna says, still pressing Elsa's hands against her skin. She leans forward and kisses her sister on the cheek, lingering for a few seconds. Elsa's blush grows slightly, and the snow in the room begins to melt faster. Anna recognizes the wet feeling between her face and Elsa's hands as the frost that was there previously. "There we go, see? Much better. Now, whatever you're feeling, remember that," Anna says, smiling, blushing a little at her sister's blush, as obvious as it was on her pale features, "and then you'll always be able to protect whatever it is that's worth protecting. Be it the kingdom, or-"<br>"You." Elsa returns to her senses for the most part, and now looks at Anna, more determined than the redhead has ever seen her before, her blush only deepening, now holding her hands to Anna's face of her own free will. "It has to be you." Anna lets out a gentle half smile.

"…. Thank you, sister." she says, her own blush intensifying some. Elsa smiles as she decides that's all she can ask for right now.


End file.
